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Do you ever feel like you really want to eat more sugar? This is called a sugar craving. You can experience cravings for sugar for many reasons. If you’re wondering why you experience sugar cravings, the answer may be more complex than you thought. However, it’s possible to understand your cravings and manage them.
Instead of thinking of cravings as something to fight against, you can learn to recognize and manage them in ways that support your health. In this article, we’ll explore what causes sugar cravings and share practical tips for responding to them.
The relationship between sugar and diabetes is complex. People living with diabetes may crave sugar for reasons related to diabetes or for other reasons. Here are some of the most common reasons why you might feel a need to eat more sugar.
Changes in your blood sugar can sometimes make you crave certain foods, especially sweets. It’s been established in research that people with type 1 diabetes who have hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) may crave food in general, and particularly food that’s high in carbohydrates (carbs), like sugar.
However, having high blood sugar can also make you crave food, even if you’ve just eaten a meal. This is because your body needs insulin to move glucose (sugar) from your bloodstream into your cells, where it can be used for energy. If you don’t make enough insulin or if your body doesn’t use it properly, your cells may not get the energy they need. As a result, you might keep craving food — including sweets — depending on the type of diabetes you have.
In fact, one study showed that people who craved sugar and white bread the most had the highest A1c levels, which indicate higher blood sugar over time. The study’s findings may indicate that worsening cravings can mean worsening diabetes, though more research is needed to confirm this.
Many people crave sugar when they’re under a lot of stress, and people with diabetes aren’t immune to this. The hormones your body produces when you’re stressed cause levels of another hormone, called ghrelin, to go up. Ghrelin makes you hungry and has been connected to sugar cravings, too.
Low levels of a brain chemical called serotonin may also make you crave sugar, and serotonin can go down when you’re stressed out for longer periods of time. Thus, sugar cravings when you’re stressed may be caused by a double whammy in your body.
Eating too much sugar can affect how your body handles stress, making it a bit harder to cope. This can sometimes lead to a cycle where stress leads to more sugar cravings, and those cravings can make stress management trickier.
If you’re limiting your diet or trying to cut back on sugar — whether because of diabetes or other reasons — you may notice stronger sugar cravings. When you get hungry, your body wants calories that are easy for it to access and that it can get into the bloodstream quickly. Sugar is one of these types of foods.
When you live with diabetes, it can be tempting to stop sugar entirely. However, this actually sets you up to crave sugar, and you might end up bingeing on it instead.
In addition to the medical reasons associated with diabetes that are outlined above, your body is set up to want sugar. After all, sugar tastes good, and the brain is designed to want things that make us happy. Over time, we can build up a tolerance for sugar, meaning our brains need more and more to reach the same level of happiness. This can lead to sugar cravings.
When people with diabetes have low blood glucose levels, they may feel dizzy or weak, get confused, experience anxiety, or even get disoriented and lose consciousness. If they can’t get their blood sugar levels up on their own, they need immediate medical attention so it doesn’t become life-threatening.
There are several things that people living with diabetes can do to manage their sugar cravings. Some of these methods may work in the short term, while others may need to be applied over time for maximum effect.
If you think your sugar cravings are related to diabetes, one of the best things you can do is keep your blood sugar in check. This may mean taking medication, but it can also mean following an eating plan that helps maintain steady blood sugar levels.
You, your doctor, and likely a dietitian will need to come up with a plan that works for your body, your schedule, and your needs. Some people may be able to tolerate more sugar, while others will need to have more limits. You may need healthy snacks, while others only eat at mealtime. Sugar substitutes work for some people but not others.
In general, you’ll want to make sure you eat regularly so your body can more effectively use insulin. Your diet should include healthy fats, healthy carbohydrates, and lots of fiber, as well as plenty of protein. This can help you manage your blood sugar levels so you don’t have as many sugar cravings.
Talk to your doctor, registered dietitian, or nutritionist about how many ounces of fluids you should drink every day, then be sure to meet your goals. Being hydrated can help your body manage your blood sugar levels. When you’re dehydrated, glucose can become concentrated in your blood. This may force blood sugar levels up, which may result in sugar cravings.
If you and your healthcare provider think that high stress is causing your sugar cravings, then managing it should help lower them. Learning to regulate your emotions may require the help of a trained therapist, but it can lower your stress levels. Getting physical activity, connecting with people who care about you, and helping others are all ways to lower stress, too. If you need additional help, your doctor may be able to suggest other ways for you to reduce your stress.
When you don’t get enough sleep, your brain thinks differently about food. Getting between seven and nine hours of good sleep each night may help you fight sugar cravings. If you struggle with sleep, consider setting consistent times to fall asleep and wake up, intentionally calming your mind before you go to bed, and making sure your mattress, pillow, lighting, and room temperature are all right for good sleep.
If you really want to eat something sweet, a piece of fruit may satisfy that craving. Dried or fresh fruits are good, sweet snacks for people with type 2 or type 1 diabetes. Certain fruits are better for people with diabetes than others are because they release sugar into your bloodstream much more slowly. These types of fruits are low on the glycemic index. You should also avoid fruit with added sugar. Apples, bananas, mangoes, oranges, pears, and strawberries are examples of low-glycemic-index fruits.
Cravings for sweet foods are normal. Choosing a smaller serving or sharing a treat with someone else can help you enjoy it without overdoing it. This approach lets you satisfy your craving while helping your blood sugar stay more stable.
On DiabetesTeam, people share their experiences with diabetes, get advice, and find support from others who understand.
What’s your favorite way to manage sugar cravings from diabetes? Let others know in the comments below.
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